Windhoek Observer – Page 84 – Windhoek Observer

28 Aug

HyIron to source local iron ore for green steel

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira HyIron Green Technologies (Pty) Ltd will explore sourcing high-potential iron ore domestically and process it using its established green hydrogen-powered technology under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Broadmind Mining (Pty) Ltd and the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme (NGH2P). The agreement aims to build a sustainable, low-carbon green industrial value chain in Namibia. It will also strengthen the country’s mineral beneficiation capacity and support its goal of becoming a green industrial hub in Africa. The partnership will focus on Broadmind’s critical mineral assets, including rare-earth elements and iron ore, alongside HyIron’s green direct reduced iron (DRI)…

28 Aug

ALL THAT THE VICTIMS, OFFENDERS & COMMUNITY NEED IS CLOSURE AND INTEGRATION

Featured, Opinions

"A Call for a Gazetted True & Genuine National Reconciliation Policy" Lazarus Kwedhi The death of Solomon “Jesus” Awala, who was given a state funeral in recognition of his role as a liberation struggle hero, has reignited painful questions about Namibia’s war past. While many honour his military service as a PLAN fighter and former Chief of the Namibian Defence Force, others remember his alleged role in the torture and killing of comrades accused of spying in what became known as the Lubango Dungeons. His reputation as the so-called “Butcher of Lubango” has stirred deep anger among survivors and families…

28 Aug

Nasria pledges N$350 000 to support Brave Warriors

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibia Special Risks Insurance Association (Nasria) has handed over sponsorships worth N$355 000, including N$100 000 in cash, to the Brave Warriors to support their FIFA World Cup preparations. Nasria marketing and sales executive Ndapona Schleberger said the contribution forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility and represents an investment in Namibia’s human capital. “This investment fuels national pride, inspires our youth and supports our athletes as they represent Namibia on the world’s grandest sporting stage. The support we have handed over today represents far more than their monetary value. For the Brave Warriors, it is…

28 Aug

Capricorn Schools Netball League crowns 2025 champions

Featured, Observer Money

The 2025 Capricorn Schools Netball League concluded on Saturday with finals played at the Windhoek Gymnasium Netball Courts. Windhoek High School defeated Windhoek Gymnasium 29-27 in the Under-19 final to claim the title, while Windhoek Afrikaans Private School (WAP) took third place. In the Under-17 category, Windhoek Gymnasium overcame Windhoek High School 29-23 to win gold, with Jan Möhr Secondary School finishing third ahead of WAP. Windhoek Gymnasium also took the Under-15 crown after edging Tsumeb Gymnasium, as Windhoek High School settled for bronze. The Under-14 title went to WAP, who defeated Windhoek Gymnasium, while Windhoek High School placed third.…

27 Aug

Kabila extradition legally impossible from Namibia

Main

Renthia Kaimbi Lawyer Norman Tjombe says Namibia cannot extradite former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Joseph Kabila because the DRC has indicated it will seek the death penalty against him. “Namibia places a very high premium on the right to life, and the Constitution outlaws the death penalty. The Extradition Act unambiguously prohibits Namibia from extraditing anyone to a country where that person will receive the death penalty. DRC has made it known that it intends to impose the death penalty on its former president,” Tjombe said. He added that Namibia’s laws also bar extradition in cases where trials…

27 Aug

Hainyeko and Simbwaye to be symbolically buried

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The government will designate symbolic graves at Heroes Acre in remembrance of liberation icons Tobias Hainyeko and Brendan Simbwaye. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced the move during the 35th Heroes’ Day commemoration in Katima Mulilo on Tuesday. She said it was a tribute to the sacrifices of the two leaders and others from the Zambezi region. Hainyeko was the first commander of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). He was killed in Katima Mulilo on 18 May 1967 in an exchange of gunfire at close range. Simbwaye, the former vice president of Swapo, was also killed during the…

27 Aug

Veterans warns against insults to leaders

National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The president of the Namibia National Liberation Veterans Association (NNLVA), Ben Shikongo, has cautioned Namibians against insulting national and traditional leaders, saying such conduct threatens the peace achieved through the liberation struggle. In an interview with the Windhoek Observer, Shikongo said veterans would not allow insults to undermine leadership. “We are proud of our independence because our independence came from thick and thin, and we must be proud of the Swapo leadership and the PLAN commander for leading this noble undertaking until we got our independence. I know that there are those that are trying to kill the…

27 Aug

Judiciary to turn a house into a court in Omuthiya

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The office of the judiciary says it is working to address long-standing complaints about the lack of magistrates’ courts in several major towns across the country. Judiciary executive director Bernhard Kukuri, told the Windhoek Observer on Monday measures are underway to bring court services closer to communities. He revealed that in Omuthiya, Oshikoto region, a house has been secured to serve as a temporary court. This will divert cases that are currently heard in Ondangwa and provide immediate relief to residents. “We cannot build now, but the house that we have managed to acquire will now be used…

27 Aug

Mandume principal accused of stealing school property

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The principal of Mandume Primary School in Windhoek, Lesley //Hoebeb, has been accused of misconduct in a formal complaint lodged with the police. Teachers allege that //Hoebeb misused and removed school assets, including laptops, a printer, toilet paper, and stationery. “Every Friday he goes home with the school printer for personal use,” the complainants wrote. They further claimed that paper rims and maize intended for the school feeding programme were given to another school. The complaint also accuses the principal of creating division among staff by instructing some teachers not to speak to certain colleagues. Teachers said this…

27 Aug

ADVERTORIAL | Budget inflexibility and import reliance hinder green scheme potential

National News

The country's green scheme irrigation projects are being held back by rigid budgeting systems and heavy reliance on imported agricultural inputs, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform (MAFWLR) has said. The ministry’s clarification follows recent reports questioning procurement expenditures, which it dismissed as false and misleading. Officials said the main challenge lies in a clash between the unpredictable nature of farming and the strict rules of government finance. According to the Ministry, the public procurement framework and the way budgets are allocated are “not well-suited to the dynamic and seasonal nature of agriculture.” Funds often become available…